17 replies so far

FW is always good. PW has a lot of gem articles and good for hand tool stuff. Woodcraft, American Woodworker, Wood, and almost everything else is awful. My brother got about 6 or 7 subscriptions for 2 years to find which are the best. All the others besides FW and PW are very entry level woodworking and have little valuable information beyond your first year of the craft, although if you are new it might be useful. It irks me to see their plans with fake through tenons and such. Not saying that its bad to start out with easier projects, but we look to magazines and books as the almighty reference to the higher power of woodworking. When I want to open a magazine, I want to be able to learn something new from someone with a wealth of knowledge that is trying to evolve the craft to make it as great as possible.

My favorites are Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking, but then I like to make furniture and these two seem to best target that segment of this “hobby”.As for the others, I subscribe when specials occur, like three years for the price of one. These give me continued reading, but I only save the two mentioned above as these contain what I consider information to keep on hand, such as: hand tool information, furniture plans and project descriptions, etc. the others, mostly jigs and tool reviews, so I read and then donate to other woodworkers I’m acquainted with. Have all Pop W-working and Fine W-working mags from 2003 on as a reference library.

-- "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The point is to bring them the real facts." - Abraham Lincoln

RockinDavan- I have to disagree with your comment “All the others besides FW and PW are very entry level woodworking and have little valuable information beyond your first year of the craft”

I have seen advanced level stuff and valuable info in Wood, Woodsmith and Shopnotes. I wouldn’t discredit those as being only entry level magazines.

My favorite is probably FWW but I also really like Wood Magazine. Wood has a nice mix of skill level projects and articles as well as decent reviews on things. At one time Shopnotes was my favorite but the newer issues have been kind of stale. I think the earlier issues of Shopnotes were really good.

Wood is my favorite, but followed closely by PWW and Woodsmith. I subscribe to others when I get a real cheap price. I tried FWW for a few years, just wasn’t my cup of tea for some reason. One I find so bad I wouldn’t get it if it were free is WWJ. Like everything else, this is one of those “to each his own”.

Woodsmith is my favorite. No advertisements, a good binding made for shop use, and very detailed diagrams. Wood is another one I have. They have ads but still a good deal of woodworking info. Steps are pretty detailed photo-wise. They have patterns they include in their mag, which is a nice touch, and a nicely done cut list for their projects. Woodsmith and Wood will usually contain an article on a new skill or technique that is associated with a project so you learn a new method and have something immediately to associate with.

-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.

I havent bought a magazine in years.I discovered a while back that I was spending quite a few hundred pounds a year on monthlies.I put an immediate end to it and immediately started buying books mostly on amazon.I have quite a few hundred books with no adverts and resale ability here magazines used are worthless so when I go to the big woodshop in the sky my books can be resold by my three sons and split between them.I really don’t miss mags atall and love reading and re-reading my books a nice selection always beside my bedroom ensuite toilet. Alistair